Two-piece hinge plate for folding closure linkages



D. S. HARRIS Nov. 18, 1958 2,860,698 TWO-PIECE HINGE PLATE F OR FOLDING CLOSURE LINKAGES Filed Oct. 2, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 55 Till uHUi im;

IN VE/VTOR DOA/A L0 .5. HA RR/S ATTORNEYS Nov. 18, 1958 D. s. HARRIS 2,860,698

TWO-PIECE HINGE PLATE FOR FOLDING CLOSURE LINKAGES Filed 00".. 2, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVE/VTO/i DONALD S. HARRIS A TTORNEKS Nov. 18, 1958 D. s. HARRIS 2,360,693

TWO-PIECE HINGE PLATE FOR FOLDING CLOSURE LINKAGES Filed Oct. 2, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet s 60 55 INVENTOR DONALD 5. HARRIS FIG. [0 I BY 2 I 2 7 w ATTORNEYS D. s. HARRIS 2,860,698

TWO-PIECE HINGE PLATE FOR FOLDING CLOSURE LINKAGES Nov. 18, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 2, 1956 All //VVE/VTOR DONALD s. HARRIS ATTORNEYS 2,860,698 Patented Nov. 18, 1958 TWO-PIECE HINGE PLATE FOR FOLDING CLOSURE LINKAGES Donald S. Harris, New Castle, Ind., assignor to New Castle Products, Inc., New Castle, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application October 2, 1956, Serial No. 613,571

7 Claims. (Cl. 160-84) The present invention relates to an improved form of two-piece hinge plate particularly adapted for use in folding doors or partitions, the hinge plate being formed from interconnected hinge members each of which are identical in construction and design.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of hinge plate of the type used in lazy tongs members which are adapted to support sheets of flexible material in the formation of foldable closures of the expansible and collapsible type, the hinge plate being formed from identically constructed hinge members overlapped in interconnected relation at the area of the central pivot point of the hinge plate to provide improved strength at the crossing position of a lazy tongs series of like hinge plates while, at the same time, minimizing cost of production by providing each of the hinge members forming the series of hinge plates with identical structural features.

A further object is to provide an improved form of expansible and collapsible closure structure including separate series of cooperatively acting hinge plates, the intermediate hinge plates of any one series crossing the hinge plate of another series at a common pivot point which is centrally located relative to each of the hinge plates associated therewith, each of the intermediate hinge plates of the various series being further formed from separately manufactured hinge members which are combined in overlapping end-to-end relation and interconnected in pairs by the material of each of the members with one another about the means which define a pivot point.

An additional object is to provide a two-piece hinge plate design which assures that the distance between the central pivot point and the outer curled hinge of an assembled plate will be equal on both sides of the central pivot point, since any non-symmetry results in an accumulative error when assembled into a lazy tongs linkage causing the entire pantograph to be distorted, the separate hinge plate member being identical in design to reduce the initial cost of dies and size of press required.

A further object is to eliminate the need of a special half-plate at the ends of a lazy tongs assembly at the point of attachment to the end posts, by providing for the changing of a hinge member into a half-plate by adding a retaining member to the hinge stamping.

Still a further object is to provide an improved form of hinge plate formed from independently constructed,

interconnected hinge plate members which are of identical design and which are provided with cooperating end portions in interconnected relation by the material of the plate members in such a manner as to strengthen the over-all hinge plate construction, the interconnected ends of the hinge plate members further defining pin or pintle-receiving portions thereby maintaining the amount of material utilized in forming the total hinge plate assembly at a minimum while at the same time providing improved strength and reduced cost of manufacture.

Other objects not specifically set forth. will become apparent from the following detailed description made in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a top plan fragmentary view of an expansible and collapsible frame-like member formed from one form of improved hinge plate construction of the present invention, the lazy tongs type series of interconnected hinge plates being shown in its partially expanded condition without the foldable covering material normally attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the hinge plate series of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of superimposed hinge plates of the type shown in Fig. 1 illustrating the manner in which these plates are formed as well as the cooperative assembly of the same;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of one end of a plate member of the type illustrated in Fig. 1 in interconnected relation with a retainer member adapted for use in interconnecting the lazy tongs series with a structural post member of a door assembly;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of hinge plate assembly incorporating; the principles of the present invention and illustrating the interconnected series in partially expanded condition;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of the hinge plate assembly of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of superimposed hinge plates of the type illustrated in Fig.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of a hinge assembly incorporating still a further modified form of hinge plate;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation of the hinge plate assembly of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged exploded perspective of superimposed hinge plates of the type illustrated inFig. 8;

Fig. ll is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of an end post retainer of a type adapted for use with the moditied form of hinge plate of Fig. 8 and illustrated in interconnected relation with an end of one of the same;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of a hinge plate series incorporating still a further modified form of hinge plate;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary elevation of the hinge plate series of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged exploded perspective of superimposed hinge plates of the type shown in Fig. 12; and

Fig. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of a modified form of retainer adapted for interconnecting the type of hinge plate illustrated in Fig. 12 with an end post of a foldable closure.

In each of the modifications illustrated in the various drawings the two-piece hinge plates are formed from hinge members which are interconnected with one another by the material of the same without the necessity of using separate and independently manufactured interconnecting parts or elements. The various integral elements of the hinge plate members forming the interconnection define an area through which a pin or pintle is received to provide the assembled hinge plate with a centrally located point about which it may pivot. In each instance, parts which are integrally formed from the sepa rately manufactured hinge plate members combine in a cooperative manner to provide pintle-re'taining means through which the pintle is directly passed during the assembling of the lazy tongs structure. For purposes of simplification the covering material attached to the outer surfaces of the hinge plates to complete the closure as- 'sembly is not shown in the drawings as the various types of material and the manner of attachment are well known and recognized. Still further, with respect to each aseoees of the various modifications of hinge plates illustrated in the drawings, a single lazy tongs unit is shown although it should be understood that a plurality of such units will be used in forming a foldable closure such as is fully illustrated and described in U. S. Patent No. 2,460,157.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a series of hinge plate members 20 are shown in interconnected relation to provide a cooperating upper and lower series of hinge plates which operate relative to one another in the manner of lazy tongs for movement into and out of extended or collapsed condition. The cooperating series illustrated constitute the top supporting series from which is hung a flexible and foldable material to define a door closure member. In operating the series a known type of overhead track 21 has depending therefrom an end post 22. The track 21 houses a series of spaced roller-carrying supporting members 23, one of which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 intermediate the ends of the closure member. The endmost roller support 23 carries depending downwardly therefrom a movable end post 24 which may be moved toward or away from the end post 22 to close or open the door closure by operation of the interconnected hinge series.

The hinge plate members 20, with the exception of those members which are attached directly to either one of the end posts 22 or 24, are interconnected in pairs as particularly illustrated in Fig. 3 to provide two-piece hinge plates functioning to rotate as a complete unit about a pivot .point. Each of the plate members 20 includes a flat band-like body portion 25 which at one end is provided with reversely bent or curled tongues 26 spaced by an indentation groove 27. The reversely curled tongues 26 define bearing members which receive therethrough a pintle 28 as particularly shown in Fig. 2. The lazy tongs series of hinge plates include the provision of superimposed hinge plates formed from interconnected plate members 20 and, as particularly shown in Fig. 3, the hinge plate of the bottom series is inverted relative to the hinge plate of the top series so as to allow the curled tongues 26 and grooves 27 to interfit in one another as shown in Fig. 2. This type of arrangement retains the upper and lower hinge plate series in interlocked relation to support the weight of the various hinge plate elements constituting the same. Grooves 29 are provided in the body portion 25 of each plate member 20 to receive material fastening means for the mounting-of a covering material in a known manner.

The interconnected ends of the plate members 20 are provided with neck portions 30 which, while being axially directed relative to their respective body portions 25, are offset radially therefrom by integral shoulder portions 31. Transverse marginal portions of the necks 30 are bent outwardly in a radial direction to define arcuate, hook-like margins 32 which cooperate with one another to define a pin or pintle-receiving sleeve-like bearing. The outermost marginal edge of each of the arcuate portions 32 has formed integral therewith a tongue 33 which is received through a slot 34 aligned therewith and carried by the neck portion 30 inwardly of the arcuate portion 32 of each of the plate members 24). Consequently, when the neck portions 30 are brought into overlapping relation, the tongues 33 of each of the plate members 20 become aligned with the slots 34 of each of the neck portions 30 and may be readily inserted therethrough and crimped or bent following their insertion so as to fix the overlapped ends of the interconnected plate members 2% relative to one another in tight, unyielding relation.

The arcuate margin portions 32 being thus fixed relative to one another define a pin or pintle-receiving sleeve through which a pin 35 may be inserted as shown in Fig. 2. The interlocked superimposed hinge plates are thus mounted so as to freely pivot about the pivot point defined by the pin 35 in opposite directions relative to one another to provide the lazy tongs action illustrated in Fig. 1. The pintles 28 and pins 35 may extend the full of identical construction and design.

height of the closure member if desired to interconnect intermediate and bottom hinge series formed in a similar manner. The top ends of certain. of the pin 35 may further be attached to roller supports 23 carried within the track 21. Any number of such supports may be used as is desired.

The two-piece hinge members described in connection with Fig. 3 are interconnected to each of the end posts 22 and 24 by separate plate members 20 as shown in Fig. 2. To pivotally attach each of the arcuate marginal portions 32 of the endmost hinge members 20 to a pin 36 suitably carried by each of the end posts 22 and 24, a separate retainer element 37 illustrated in detail in Fig. 4 is used. The retainer element 37 is provided with an arcuate marginal portion 38 of the same design and shape as the arcuate marginal portion 32 of a plate member 20. The arcuate portion 38 is similarly provided with an integral tongue (not shown) which is received through the groove 34 in the plate 20 associated therewith. The tongue of the retainer element 37 is crimped or bent so as to fix the element relative to the plate member 20 in the manner as described in connection with interconnecting of two plate members 20. Similarly, the tongue 33 of the plate member 20 is received through a slot 39 in the retainer element 37 and crimped or bent to fixedly hold the retainer element to the plate member 20. Thus, the cooperating and relatively fixed arcuate portions 32 and 38 define a sleeve-like bearing through which the pin 36 is received and held. Spaced ears 40 fixed to the end posts 22 and 24 hold the pins 36 in their operative positions.

A fully complemented lazy tongs type of support is thus provided from the utilization of hinge members 20 The interconnected hinge members 20 intermediate the endmost hinge members form rigid transversely operating hinge plates which are of improved strength due to the overlapped interconnection. The cooperative functioning of the neck portions 30 and arcuate marginal portions 32 establish a bracing relation which help support the fastening action afforded by the tongue-in-groove arrangement. These combined elements further cooperate to solely define a pin-receiving sleeve thereby providing a dual functioning of an improved nature. Each of the hinge members 20, as previously described, is identical in construction and may be used interchangeably in the forming of either the upper or lower series of interconnected hinge plates. Consequently, it is necessary merely to provide a single stamping operation in the manufacture of the hinge members 20 resulting in a minimizing of production cost and operation. The radial offset of the neck portions 30 prevents the flexible material hung from the series of hinge plates from being damaged when the series is in .its fully contracted or folded condition.

In Figs. 57 a similar general arrangement as described in connection with Figs. 13 is shown with the exception that a modified form of plate member is used. With respect to like parts the same reference numerals are used in Figs. 57 as well as in connection with the further modifications of Figs. 8-15. In Fig. 7 two superimposed pairs of interconnected plate members 41 are shown, the body portions 42 of each plate member being of substantial vertical thickness and being provided with reversely bent or curled tongues 43 defining spaced sleevelike members for receiving pintles 28 therethrough. Intermediate the sleeve-like bearings 43 are indented portions 44 which provide for interfitting of cooperating sleeves 43 of an adjacent plate member 41 in the manner previously described. Each of the body portions 41 is provided with a flat side margin 45 and the opposite side margin is defined by a flat portion 46 joining a slanted portion 47 leading into a neck portion 48 of reduced height. With this design the superimposed hinge members interfit with one another, the lowermost hinge members 41'being in an inverted relation relative to the uppermost hinge members 41 as illustrated in Fig; 7. The body portions 42 are thus provided with substantial strength due to the width of the same and are designed so as to provide uninterfered, oppositely directed pivotal action between the two separate series of superimposed hinge plates.

Each of the neck portions 48 is angularly directed relative to its respective body portion 41 and the endmost marginal portion is arcuately bent to one side in a radial direction. The semi-circular arcuate portions 49 thus defined are each provided with an integral tongue 50 received through a slot 51 of an interconnected plate memher, the slot being positioned inwardly from the arcuate portion 49 and extending transversely of the neck portion 48. The tongues 50 received through the slots 51 are folded or bent in the manner previously described to I fixedly interconnect cooperating plate members 41. The

interconnected portions overlap one another and define therebetween pin-receiving sleeve members for the interconnecting pin 35. The body portions 42 are provided with material hanging holes 52 and the endmost plate members 41 are pivotally interconnected with the end posts 22 and 24 by a retainer element 37 of the type previously described in connection with Fig. 4.

Figs. 8-10 illustrate still a further modified form of plate member 53, the over-all arrangement of the closure support member formed from the plate members 52 being similar to that described in connection with Figs. 1-3. The plate members 53 are provided with wide body portions 54 having a partially slanted side margin 55 similarly as described in connection with the body portion 42 of the plate member 41 of Fig. 7. A neck portion 56 of reduced width is angularly turned to one side relative to the body portion 54 and the endmost margin of the same is provided with a radially outwardly directed flange 57. The upper and lower margins of the neck portions 56 are provided with radially outwardly turned flanges 58 each having rearwardly directed ears 59 struck from the material of the neck portion 56. Each of the ears 59 is provided with an outwardly opening semicircular groove 60 and when the neck portions 56 of two plate members 53 are overlapped and interconnected as shown in Fig. 10, adjacent cars 59 of opposite plates become aligned with one another at both the top and bottom margins of these plates and the semi-circular grooves 60 of each of the ears 59 cooperate to define eyes through which the pin 35 is passed to provide the centrally located pivot points for the superimposed pairs of plate members 53. In interconnecting each of the plate members 53 to define the hinge plate, an integral tongue 61 is carried along the outermost margin of each of the outwardly turned flanges 57 andis received within a slot 62 carried transversely of each of the neck portions 56. The slots 62 are arranged so as to align adjacent pairs of ears 59 as illustrated, and upon the receiving of the tongues 61 through the slots 62 the former are crimped or bent so as to fixedly interconnect the tw plate members 53.

The body portion 54 of each of the plate members 53 is provided with curled or reversely bent tongues 63 which define the sleeve-like bearings for receiving the pintles 28 therethrough. Spaced indentations or grooves 64 are provided to allow interfitting of adjacent hinge members 53 in the manner as previously described. The endmost hinge members 53 are pivotally attached to the pins 36 carried by the end posts 22 and 24 by a retainer element 65 illustrated in Fig. 11. This element is constructed similarly as the neck portion 56 of the plate member 53 and is provided with outwardly bent top and bottom flanges 66 which have integrally formed therewith reversely directed ears 67 carrying semi-circular outwardly opening grooves 68. The retainer element 65 is further provided with a radially bent transverse marginal portion 69 similar to the flange 57 of the plate member 53. The retainer element 65 is locked to the neck portion of a plate member 53 by the receiving of the tongue 61 through a slot carried therein (not shown) and by further being provided with a similar tongue 70 which is received through the slot 62 and bent relative thereto. The pin 36 is then provided with spaced eyes defined by cooperating cars 59 and 67 through which it is passed.

In Figs. 12-14 a further modified form of hinge plate.

member 71 is illustrated. Referring particularly to Fig. 14, each of the plate members is provided with a wide body portion 72 which has a partially slanted side marginal portion similarly as described in connection with certain of the previous modifications. The top and bottom margins of the body portion 72 are provided with outwardly turned continuous flanges 73 which impart added strength to the body portion 72. The end of reduced thickness of the body portion 72 has integrally formed therewith a neck portion 74 which is axially aligned with the body portion 72 and is of relatively short axial length. The top and bottom flanges 73 extend beyond the endmost margin of the body portion 74 and their endmost margins are arcuately turned to one side to provide semi-circular marginal portions 75. Axially directed ears 76 are integrally formed with the outermost side edges of the arcuate marginal portions 75 and are offset relative to both the arcuate marginal portions 75 and the neck portion 74. Inwardly of the end margin of the neck portion 74 are spaced axially extending slots 77 which receive therethrough tongues 78 formed integral with the ends of the arcuate marginal portions 75 of the flanges 73. The tongues 78 are bent or crimped after being inserted through the slots 77 to fixedly hold interconnected plate members 71 relative to one another. The arcuate marginal portions 75 of the interconnected plate members 71 cooperate to define vertically spaced eyes 79 which receive therethrough the pin 35. The body portion 72 of each plate member 71 is further provided with spaced reversely bent tongues 80 having intermediate recessed grooves 81 to allow interfitting of adjacent ends of plate members 71 in pivotal interconnection with a pintle 28.

In Fig. 15 a retainer element 82 is illustrated in inter connected relation with the neck portion end of a plate member 71. As in the case of the previously described forms of retainer elements, the element 82 pivotally interconnects the endmost plate member 71 with the pins 36 carried by the end posts 22 and 24. The retainer element 82 is of the same construction as the end portion of a plate member 71 which is provided with the arcuate marginal portions 75. In this respect the retainer element 82 is provided with top and bottom outwardly directed flanges 83 which have arcuately turned marginal portions 84 provided with tongues 85 received through the slots 77 in the neck portion 74 of a plate member 71. The body portion 86 of the retainer element 82 is provided with spaced slots (not shown) which receive therethrough the tongues 78 of the plate member 71. The cooperating marginal portions 75 and 84 define therebetween spaced eyelets 87 through which is received a pin 36.

The various modifications described incorporate the principles of the present invention in providing overlapped portions fixedly interconnected with one another to form a two-piece hinge plate of improved strength. Each of the plate members of the various modifications is similarly constructed to allow the use of a single stamping operation in forming a full complement of plate mem bers. The modifications of Figs. 3, 7 and 10 illustrate the use of flange-like marginal portions which are brought into edge-abutting relation with the side surface of an ad-- jacent neck portion. The line contact of substantial length afforded thereby provides a buttressing action ma-- terially adding to the strength of the combined hinge mem-- bers. With respect to the modification of Fig. 14, theoffset reinforcing tongues or flanges 76 impart the necessary added strength to the combined plate members bybeing broughtinto abutting engagement with a side surface of an adjacent neck portion 74. In each of the modifications the neck portion of an adjacent plate member is thus firmly held from both directions by reason of the bent tongues being passed through the neck portion and firmly clamped against the opposite side thereof while either the marginal flange portions of the neck portions of the reinforcing tongues 76 of the plate member '71 are brought into abutting reinforcing engagement with the remaining side of the neck portion. The interconnected hinge members forming the hinge plate are thus firmly engaged and the resultant hinge plate is provided with added strength while at the same time being economically manufactured and readily assembled.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An expansible and collapsible closure structure in cluding separate series of cooperatively acting hinge plates, the intermediate hinge plates of any one series crossing a hinge plate of another series at a common pivot point which is centrally located relative to each of the hingle plates associated therewith, each of said intermediate hinge plates being formed from identical hinge plate members having ends overlapping one another and interconnected by the material of said plate members with one another about means defining a pivot point.

2. An expansible and collapsible closure structure including separate series of cooperatively acting hinge plates, the intermediate hinge plates of any one series crossing a hinge plate of another series at a common pivot point which is centrally located relative to each of the hinge plates associated therewith, each of said intermediate hinge plates being formed from identical hinge plate members having ends overlapping one another and interconnected by the material of said plate members with one another about means defining a pivot point, each of said plate members having an end formed from bearing members constituting one of the ends of a hinge plate when two of said plate members are interconnected, the remaining end of each plate member being provided with a neck portion having a radially directed arcuate marginal portion carrying an integral tongue, and a slot in said neck portion axially inwardly of said arcuate marginal portion receiving therethrough a tongue of the other plate member combined therewith to form a hinge plate.

3. A two-piece hinge plate for folding closure linkages of the expansible and collapsible type, each plate being formed from identical interconnected plate members, said members each including a body portion having formed at one end thereof a reversely curled tongue portion defining a sleeve bearing for a pintle, the remaining end being provided with a neck portion integral with said body portion and having an outer transverse marginal portion substantially radially directed to one side thereof, plate member locking means carried by said transverse marginal portion and integral therewith, and a slot in said neck portion inwardly of said transverse marginal portion receiving therethrough and fixed relative thereto the locking means of the other plate member forming said hinge plate, said marginal portions defining therebetween an area through which a pintle is received about which said hinge plate pivots. v

4. The hinge plate of claim 3 wherein the neck portions of said plate members are axially directed while being radially offset relative to their respective body portions and the transverse marginal portions define semi-circular sleeve members which cooperatively house a pintle received therethrough.

5. The hinge plate of claim 3 wherein the neck portions of said plate members are of reduced height as compared with the height of the body portions so as to provide interfitting between adjacent hinge plates of identical construction, the neck portions being further angularly directed relative to their respective body portions.

6. The hinge plate of claim 3 wherein the top and bottom margins of the neck portions are provided with integral flanges which in one direction'define semi-circular openings combining to provide spaced pintle-receiving eyes intermediate the interconnecting transverse marginal portions.

7. The hinge plate of claim 3 wherein the body portions of the plate members are provided with integral radially directed flanges extending along the top and bottom margins thereof, extensions of said flanges beyond said neck portions defining said transverse marginal portions which carry said plate locking means, said transverse marginal portions defining therebetween spaced pintle-receiving eyes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 611,408 Great Britain Oct. 29, 1948 

